Doctoral Researcher´s Seminar by Shanice Heidenreich (C04) and Michael Tranchina (A04)
During the EBM Doctoral Seminar from Shanice Heidenreich (C04) and Michael Tranchina (A04) at the Institute of Biochemistry on March 21, 2024, we explored the interplay between cellular mechanics and differentiation.
Both projects use hydrogels with adjustable stiffness, which are provided by Sonja Kuth and Markus Lorke (X03) from the laboratory of Aldo Boccaccini.
The seminar started with a talk by Michael Tranchina from project A04, who presented his data on the role of mechanical forces in guiding human neural stem cell (NSC) lineage decisions in brain organoids, which may improve our understanding of developmental neurogenesis.
After a short break, Shanice Heidenreich (C04) showed us her results on how mechanical environments influence the differentiation of neural crest-derived cells such as melanocytes and melanoma cells, providing insights into the mechanisms behind melanoma brain metastases.
Both presentations highlighted the significant influence of biomechanics on cellular behavior and development, fostering engaging discussions and knowledge exchange among seminar attendees.
Michael Tranchina, A04
